Swarthmore College Inducts Inaugural Hall of Fame Class
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Paying homage to its 134-year history of athletics, Swarthmore College inducted 12 outstanding members of its athletics community into its inaugural Garnet Athletics Hall of Fame class last weekend.
The public unveiling of the Hall of the Fame and the induction of its first class took place during the College's annual Garnet Homecoming and Family weekend celebration on Friday, October 26 in the Lamb-Miller Field House.
The members of the inaugural class are Avery "Ave" Blake Jr. '53 (lacrosse, football); Charles "Chip" Chevalier '93 (football); Danielle Duffy '98 (field hockey, track and field); Dick Esrey '50 (football, basketball, baseball); Dick Hall '52 (baseball, track and field, football, basketball, soccer); Eleanor Kay "Pete" Hess (coach/administrator); Patrick "Hondo" Holmes '82 (wrestling); Gwyneth Jones Cote '84 (lacrosse, field hockey); Heather Kile Lord '02 (basketball, lacrosse); Robert "Tiny" Maxwell, Class of 1907 (football, track and field); McWelling Todman '77 (soccer, track, and field); and the 1984–1985 men's tennis team.
The celebration began with a dinner for the inductees, their families and their friends and guests in Upper Tarble. Gil Kemp '72, chair of the College's Board of Managers, gave the opening remarks followed by President Rebecca Chopp. Following President Chopp's remarks, each inductee was honored with a Hall of Fame certificate - handed out by Marian Ware Director of Athletics Adam Hertz - and given the podium to reflect on their time at Swarthmore.
Following the dinner ceremony, the Class of 2012 made its way to Lamb-Miller Field House for the public unveiling of the Hall of Fame display. In a front of an overflow crowd in the field house lobby, Hertz pulled down a Garnet cloth and revealed 12 plaques to honor each of the inductees and an interactive touch-screen display that highlights the inductees as well as the history of Swarthmore athletics.
To conclude the special evening, the Class of 2012 was honored at the annual Garnet Weekend Pep Rally, where a raucous crowd in Tarble Pavilion greeted the inductees with a minutes-long standing ovation.
The Garnet Athletics Hall of Fame has been established to honor the student-athletes and administrators who have contributed to the College's success. The members of the premier class were chosen from more than 100 nominations by a selection committee of College administrators, coaches, and alumni for their significant and distinctive impact on Swarthmore College athletics and the College itself.
